A Little About Me
I’m a senior, and this study abroad trip to Hong Kong is my last class at Arizona State University (ASU). I already participated in all of my graduation ceremonies and have fulfilled all my requirements and desired elective classes. So one might ask why I’m taking this class at all.
Well, first of all, I love to travel. I love to explore new places. I pride myself on my ability to adjust to new situations. Take, for instance, my decision to attend ASU despite being accepted to University of Wisconsin, which is 10 miles from my parent’s house. I wanted to know and explore a new place, so I made the state of Arizona my new home.
This trip is a rare opportunity to study sustainability in a completely new setting. Sustainability, more so than any other discipline, requires hands-on learning. Sustainability discourages cookie-cutter solutions, and as an aspiring sustainability professional, it is my duty to learn about new environments and how to adapt solutions to a unique situation.
I can’t think of a better way to close my career at ASU. It’s a dream come true.
What about sustainability?
I studied energy, materials and technology in the School of Sustainability and mathematics in the School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, but my interest centers more around business and sustainability, which is what I hope to pursue my master’s degree in, and what I hope to do for a career. Hong Kong is an international center of commerce. While my focus area for this trip will be energy, proper energy management by organizational leaders and decision-makers is key to the success of businesses and institutions in Hong Kong. Studying in a metropolis like Hong Kong provides an excellent opportunity to fuse all of my interests together into one cohesive final project.
My travel experience
This will be my second study abroad trip and fourth time outside the U.S. I’ve traveled to Ecuador twice and the United Kingdom once. None of my trips abroad have lasted more than three weeks, so I’m still a novice when it comes to international travel. I look forward to sharing experiences with my fellow classmates and learning more about the world that I live in throughout the course of this trip.
It’s too early for me to think about packing, but look for an update on the beginnings of the packing effort (or struggle) in the coming weeks.